Wild birds caught in flu flap

A fresh outbreak of bird flu in Asia is being blamed on wild birds.

Last week Thailand’s prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, called for wild storks to be slaughtered, even though his environment officials said the storks were not infected. The decision threatened the future of the openbill stork population, which was reduced to a single flock in the 1950s but has recovered thanks to the efforts of Buddhist monks. This week, however, officials appeared to back off after talks with local conservationists. They are now blaming wild ducks instead.